The popular yet less tapped manufacturing industries is made up of the construction, household products paper, food processing, agrochemical industry, leather, and automobile parts. The popularity is because there are among the most daily used human product.

But majority of the common popular profitable manufacturing industries listed above are the ones that require a huge amount of capital to start.

34 Best business ideas with low investment and high profit

1. Bakery

This evidently belongs to one of the most profitable businesses in the food industry today. The market for this is huge because bakery provides ready to eat food.

Want to know the best part?

This great business can be started either from a rented space or from the convenience of your home. Additionally, selecting and focusing on the right type of product together with finding and keeping customers via advertisement will ensure success.

Always choose high product that are in demand by customers (hot products) that will be specific to your bakery business.

2. Aluminum doors and windows

This is yet another profitable manufacturing business opportunity in the metal works industry, with the rise in design and material product used for new buildings (aluminum doors and windows included).

Now:

The aluminum business can be practised in two ways:

Firstly, you can learn how to make aluminum windows and doors then proceed to sell it.

Secondly, purchase the windows and doors and sell it to people in need of it.

One can begin the business with a small amount of money and begin to market your product to people (especially to family and friends) who will support your idea and product by buying it.

3. Biodiesel production

This belongs to the best business ideas with low investment and high profit one can start on a small scale when the raw materials needed are made available in a quantity that will always ensure you’re always in production.

The decrease in the production of fossil fuel has edged man to search for new and better renewable sources. This form of fuel, are obtained from living things (plants or animal.)

The demands for these renewable sources are usually high simply because they can be renewed over and over again.

The opportunity in this industry is limitless and still has more room needed to be filled. So what are you waiting for? Begin today!

4. Biscuit making

Biscuit making business is huge market and if you want to go small scale, you can be begin in your backyard on a small scale. This business usually requires low start-up capital to start unless of course you really want to go large scale on the food market.

The secret to the success of any business is creating “varieties”. You can begin trying producing varieties of biscuits that can be consumed by all age group and will appeal to every potential consumer with a different taste.

5. Candle making

This is type of business can be done on a part-time basis and also on small scale. The candle is often used in ceremonies and religion to signify “light”. It is used to lighten, for religious and décor purposes. Other people use it as a source of light in their respective homes at night. The opportunity in the candle industry is on the rise daily. That is why it made our “34 best business ideas with low investment and high profit”.

This is because there have been more opportunities different from the traditional candle. In recent years, there has been an influx of scented and decorative candle. The result of this introduction of new products? A boom in the candle industry.

Cartons are not just meant for storage or bulk packaging, but can also as a way to brand and help market the product in it. Cartons and Crates, therefore, help package materials that can be exported.

With more businesses and individuals employing the use of cartons in packaging and moving bulk products, carton and crates manufacturing has been made one of the best business ideas with low investment and high profit. Any smart, diligent person can start the business.

7. Cashew processing

Many business opportunities have been made available in the cashew processing niche. There are several things involved in the business of processing cashew. It could be grading, cashew kernel dying, cell cooking, cutting, packing and peeling.

The cashew nut processing can be tried with low investment. You should also understand that it can also be exported and requires a purchase of a simple machine to make it successful.

8. Chalk making

Chalk is still being used as the primary writing tool in blackboards in schools of many underdeveloped countries and a few developed countries. It is not restricted to use in schools as a lot of tailors, carpenters and construction workers use it to draw lines when taking measurement of things.

Chalk production business or chalk making can be started from the convenience of your home with low investment and less risk.

The chalk making process generally involves producing a round shaped stick light that will be suitable to the hand and makes writing on the blackboard or making measurement easy.

Normally, the most of the chalk produced comes either in white or in other colors.

9. Chocolate making

Chocolate making is one of the most profitable businesses in the food industry. However, the raw materials and tools used to produce your chocolate will affect the quality and shape of the chocolate desired by you.

But one very important thing to take into consideration is the availability of the raw material. Because your raw material will determine the quality of the chocolate taste.

10. Coconut milk powder production

Coconut milk powder production is again another food processing businesses with excellent market potential. The coconut milk powder has a longer shelf life when compared to cow milk powder.

Giving this business a shot requires you have the raw material; fewer storage space is required and requires low startup capital to begin production.

11. Coconut oil production

The business opportunities the coconut oil offers are too broad. Coconut oil are used in the production of cooking, toilet soap, human hair tonic, hair oil, laundry soaps, detergent etc. You cannot start the coconut oil production without first thinking, locating and selecting the raw material that can ease your production.

12. Concrete block manufacturing

Precast concrete products like concrete blocks, tiles, and interlocking tiles have been on the rise in recent years, due to the use of wall tiling, flooring, making a working path in homes and garden etc.

The business can be started on a small scale or large scale (depending on the individual) and requires a little expertise and some machinery to begin with.

13. Conveyor belt manufacturing

The recent growth industrialization has witnessed contributed to an increase in the use of the conveyor belt. It is an important sector because it is commonly used in many industries such as processes in a construction sites, railway, fertilizer plant, and chemical plant thermal plant to maintain the production chain.

The conveyor belt manufacturing is one of the profitable manufacturing businesses in the rubber industry in every country.

14. Custard powder production

Custard powder is one popular food that has formed the daily diet of many homes. A small scale unit of the custard powder production business can be started with some machinery in place.

But before going into the custard powder production, you have to be sure that you have the raw materials necessary to produce the custard.

15. Detergent powder manufacturing

The detergent powder is used for many functions. From washing clothes and dishes, in a car wash to neutralizing the effect of oil and fire. Due to it’s many use, the detergent powder has recorded an increase in a number of customers on a daily basis.

The production process requires the mixing of the right chemical in the right manner. The small scale manufacturing unit can be started with small capital investment.

16. Envelope making

The envelope is used daily to send mail(s) to organizations, businesses, to friends and family or as an important means of storing a very important document in an orderly manner.

Due to its high demand, the business of envelope making has become one of the fastest growing in the paper industry.

The raw material will always be paper gotten from wood. But the paper you intend to use will depend solely on the type of envelope (Colour, quality and size) you intend to produce.

This business can be started on a small scale and this is why it fits into the category of best business ideas with low investment and high profit. You can produce envelopes manually or get an envelope making machine.

17. Eraser making

Eraser is a tool used by many to correct mistakes and is usually produced from the rubber plant. With the enough availability of the raw material needed, one can venture into the business on a small scale.

The demand for it has made the business a very profitable one.

18. Exercise book manufacturing

The demand for exercise book is always on the increase and this will continue to be so as far as schools still exist. Additionally, exercise books are an important tool in offices, environment, schools, business and libraries.

Exercise book manufacturing is one out of the few profitable manufacturing businesses, with low investment and high risk; one can venture into the business on a small scale.

The machinery to use will depend on the exercise book type you want to produce and sell to the public.

19. Drinking straw making

Drinking straw manufacturing business is yet another profitable business that one can venture into on a small scale. With the right raw material and some machinery, you can successfully start the business.

20. File manufacturing

A file is an important product in offices and schools. It’s used to record important document for record keeping purposes.

There are two types namely: flat file and cover file with strap. Depending on the type of file you want to produce, you can begin the business on a small scale with the right tools.

21. Groundnut oil processing

The groundnut oil is used in cooking food, frying and making of dough due to the fact that the oil is suitable, safe and best for human consumption.

You can easily begin the business with locally made equipment or choose to start it on a large scale using high tech devices for increased productivity.

22. Honey processing

Honey processing is another profitable manufacturing business. The business involves removing wax and other unwanted impurities from honey in it’s raw(unprocessed form) to get the pure honey( processed form).

The business can be done on a small scale manually or by getting the required machine in place. This business can considered a home based business for small scale producers.

23. Ice block manufacturing

Ice block is needed for preservation of fishes and other perishable food items in transit (moving them from one place to another). It can also be used to keep drinks and water cool.

Ice cream making can be initiated and runned as a home based business on a small scale basis. You’ll need to produce them with flavours that that will entice the taste buds of several customers all the time of the year.

Then come up with creative ways to serve the ice cream in an appealing way. The most popular method is to use cones with a variety of color for each flavour. This is because the cone is pretty, neat, consumable, clean and very simple to store.

25. Invitation card making

Invitation card making requires you a creative mind, good patience and this belongs to one of the few profitable manufacturing businesses that can be initiated by an individual on a small scale.

The invitation card is one of the hottest businesses in today’s world. You just need to be creative and unique in crafting your design to ensure that your cards are different from others.

Liquid soap production unit can be started with as low as $15 on a small scale. There are many varieties of soap you can produce. They include the face wash, body soap, dish wash soap, hand soap and etc.

27. Livestock feeds production

Livestock feed is a profitable business in the agricultural sector. There are many livestock feeds you can venture into. Some of the livestock feed you can produce includes the fish feed, cattle feed. Amongst all of this feed, the production of poultry feed is the most popular.

With the proper raw material and the right set of essential tools, you can start the business on a small scale.

28. Milling business

Milling business is one great profitable business in Nigeria. Today there are different milling businesses you can start. This includes maize milling, groundnut milling and rice milling. Up till date, maize milling appears to be the most popular one.

The business can be ventured into by an individual on a small scale and the machinery used will depend on the type of the grain you intend to mill.

29. Noodles making

Noodles are a common food and it comes in two forms:

The instant noodles and

The normal noodle

These two are amongst the greatest fast food currently experiencing an increased growth in the food sector.

You can set the business on a small scale with the required machine. The production process is pretty straight forward.

30. Packaged drinking water production

The market demand for packaged healthy water has made packaged drinking water one of the most profitable manufacturing businesses. The demand for this product is huge!

People not only use the packaged water outside the home, it is also the commonly preferred drinking water at home (especially by the middleclass and top class).

To start the business, you’ll need proper machinery and know the process of clean, good and sustainable water production.

31. Palm oil processing

The business can be tried on a small scale. Palm oil comes from palm fruits, what this simply means is that for you to get palm oil; you’ll need the required raw material which in this case is “the palm fruits” to produce the palm oil.

Now:

To produce the palm oil in commercial(large) quantity, you’ll need to have access to lots of the raw material.

32. Paper bag making

Paper bag making is another hot niche in the market of profitable manufacturing business. The need for a custom paper bag in occasions such as weddings and birthday parties, religious ceremonies, as souvenirs, and for personal use is expanding the business outreach of the business.

33. Potato chips making

The raw material needed for immediate production is potato (sweet potatoes are usually preferred) and the process starts making thin slices of tomatoes and frying it. The business can be started on a small scale with some small machinery in place.

When you’re done producing the chips, you can package (branding) and distribute your potato chips to your customers directly or through the use of middlemen.

34. Spice powder production

The spice powder production can be initiated on a small scale. This business entails the grinding and packaging of spice that customers will use to season their food while cooking.

Some of the popularly used spices are ginger spice, curry powder, turmeric and so on.

Final thoughts

These top profitable manufacturing businesses with low investment are type of business that works irrespective of the country you reside in.

One thing you will need to take note is to ensure that there are availability of raw materials to use before venturing into the business.

Your turn

What business idea can you add to the best business ideas with low investment and high profit? Feel free to make your contributions by adding your business ideas in the comment box.